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What component of NSS is read-only in the error message: "security library: read-only database."

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  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by Hasan

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After installing Firefox and booting. I load my PIV card using OpenSC as a "Security Device". After authenticating successfully with the card to one site, visiting sites.google.com errors with this message from Firefox.

security library: read-only database. (Error code: sec_error_read_only)

I can see this is an NSS based/related error, but even using modutil/certutil to create a new NSS database, I can still reproduce the error.

The interesting thing is if I then close down the browser, I can then go to sites.google.com just fine, but as soon as I authenticate with my PIV card in that session, I can produce the error.

After installing Firefox and booting. I load my PIV card using OpenSC as a "Security Device". After authenticating successfully with the card to one site, visiting sites.google.com errors with this message from Firefox. security library: read-only database. (Error code: sec_error_read_only) I can see this is an NSS based/related error, but even using modutil/certutil to create a new NSS database, I can still reproduce the error. The interesting thing is if I then close down the browser, I can then go to sites.google.com just fine, but as soon as I authenticate with my PIV card in that session, I can produce the error.

Modified by mzimmerman

All Replies (6)

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Hoping to add additional key information: Using OpenSC PKCS#11 library - version 0.12.2

Card functionality works great otherwise.

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Perform the suggestions mentioned in the following articles:

Check and tell if its working.

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You can check the secmod.db file and maybe cert8.db as well.

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Running in safe mode does not help, and I'm using default Firefox config for everything else. The secmod.db and cert8.db files are indeed the issue. Here's steps to reproduce:

  1. rm -rf ~/.mozilla
  2. firefox
  3. (quit firefox)
  4. modutil -add "OpenSC" -libfile /lib/opensc-pkcs11.so -mechanisms FRIENDLY -dbdir .mozilla/firefox/{randomprofilename}.default/ -force
  5. Authenticate to website with PIV card
  6. Visit sites.google.com

This is not a file-system level permissions issue with the various NSS .db files.

Modified by mzimmerman

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